Ashton Hughes struck out 13 and threw a one-hitter and the Western Nebraska Community College bats came alive for 11 extra base hits in earning a Region IX sweep over Otero Junior College Saturday afternoon at Volunteer Field.
Hughes tossed another sparkling game in the opener as the sophomore struck out eight of the first nine outs in leading the Cougars to an 8-0 win. In the second contest, Amanda Jones tossed a four-hitter as she picked up the win on her birthday as her teammates racked up 13 hits, including five doubles, for the 9-1 win.
WNCC head coach Maria Winn-Ratliff was pleased with the two wins over a tough Otero squad. "Offensively I thought we did a really nice job. Ashton had a no-hitter going into the sixth and I thought we should have capitalized and finished the game in the fifth with the bases loaded. But it was nice to have Megan come up big in the bottom of the sixth," she said. "In the second game, I thought Amanda threw really well on her birthday. She had some hiccups there but we just battled and fought hard.
"Otero is a good ball club and there is a ton of rivalry and for us to be able to sweep them and do it in a run-rule situation is big for our program. Picking up these wins is important in region play. I am real pleased with girls and hopefully we can get in tomorrow's {Sunday} game in and the weather holds up. We will continue putting the ball in play and continuing having good pitching."
The Rattlers were snake-bit at the plate for the majority of the contest as Hughes was blazing through the lineup. Hughes struck out eight of the first nine batters and had a no-hitter through five innings. Otero's first hit came off the bat of Laura Abellanida. Hughes walked the next batter to load the bases, but came back in striking out the next two before getting the third out on a grounder for the shut out win. Offensively, the Cougars received run support through all nine batters. WNCC plated a single run in the first as Jacqui Cappuccilli had a run-scoring double. WNCC added two in the second as Allie Alverson came through with a big 2-out run-scoring single for a 3-0 lead.
WNCC plated a single run in the third as Jocelyn Stubbs had a 2-out run-scoring double. The Cougars scored two more in the fifth to make it 7-0 as Megan Bourdon had a double and Stubbs had a run-scoring single.
The Cougars put the game away in the sixth via the 8-run rule as Bourdon delivered a 2-run home run over the right centerfield fence.
WNCC finished with nine hits with three players registering multi-hit games. Cappuccilli led the team with a 2-for-2 contest with a double, two runs scored, a RBI and a walk. Bourdon finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a double, home run, two runs scored and two RBIs. Stubbs went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
The second game saw the Cougars pound out 13 hits and really controlled the contest from the get go. Otero, however, had plenty of opportunities to score early on but the WNCC defense was sparkling behind Jones, the birthday girl in the circle.
In the opening inning, Otero loaded the bases with two outs, but Jones got the third out on an easy grounder to Jordan Schoepflin at third. Otero also left runners in scoring position in the second and third, but each time the Cougar defense held the Rattlers from scratching a run across home plate.
Offensively, the Cougars just hammered the ball, scoring twice in the first on three hits. Schoepflin had the big hit, a 2-out, run-scoring double followed by a run-scoring single by Stubbs.
WNCC added four more runs in the third on three hits. The big hits were back-to-back doubles by Bree Bitton and Aria Agle. Bitton came up big with a 2-out run-scoring double and then Agle had a double down the third base line to score two runs for a 6-0 lead.
The Cougars added a single run in teh fifth as Stubbs singled and scored on a Hughes double to lead 7-0.
Otero ruined the shutout by scoring an unearned run in the sixth inning as Kara Finger scored on a single from pinch hitter Kalysa Duran.
WNCC put the game away in the sixth. Cappuccilli started things with a 2-out double followed by singles by Schoepflin and Stubbs. Stubbs single to centerfield scored Cappuccilli. Bitton then ended the game with a double to right field to score Stubbs with the final run.
Jones went six innings, giving up four hits, striking out three and walking three.
The Cougars had three players finish with a multi-hit game. Stubbs led the way with a 3-for-3 game, including three singles, two runs scored and a RBI. Schoepflin went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBIs, and a double. Bitton had two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored.
Agle went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a double, while Cappuccilli went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, a double and a walk.
Winn-Ratliff said the key for them was being patient at the plate.
"They did a nice job of staying on the corners and we struggled with that a little bit," she said. "Then, we decided to be disciplined and attacked pitches that we are good at. We found a way to put up 17 runs and that is big for the girls. I just hope we continue to play well."
The two wins pushes the Cougars to 38-11 overall and 15-3 in conference play. WNCC will look for wins 39 and 40 today (Sunday) when they travel to face the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyo.
First Game
Otero 000 000 -- 0 1 1
WNCC 121 022 -- 9 9 1
WP -- Ashton Hughes, LP -- Nicole Soltis; 2B -- Megan Bourdon, Jacqui Cappuccilli, Joceyln Stubbs, Aria Agle; HR -- Bourdon.
Second Game
Otero 000 001 -- 1 4 1
WNCC 204 012 -- 9 13 2
WP -- Amanda Jones, LP -- Marilyn Montoya; 2B -- Bree Bitton 2, Cappuccilli, Jordan Schoepflin, Agle, Ashton Hughes.
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